


Concrete Angel

by LacieDayParade



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-12-03 04:31:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LacieDayParade/pseuds/LacieDayParade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“There’s no point telling, nobody wouldn’t believe me, anyway…” Alex whispered to himself. The edge of a dark bruise poked out from under the sleeve of his school top. Based on Martina McBride's Concrete Angel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Concrete Angel

"There's no point telling, nobody wouldn't believe me, anyway…" Alex whispered to himself as he walked to Brookland. Jack was back in America, and Tom was long gone, having been hit head-on in a car crash. He'd died instantly.

Alex was wearing the same thing he'd worn yesterday, and the day before, and over the past week. His face was impassive, as it so frequently was.

 _He walks to school with an expression that's blank,_  
Nobody knows just what he's holding back.  
Wearing the same things he wore yesterday,  
He hides the suff'ring with an impassive face.

"Blimey, it's warm in here! Take your blazers and jumpers off, and I'll open the windows, shall I?" Their teacher, Mrs Booth cried melodramatically. Everybody did so.

As the teacher went round helping the students, she walked past Alex, and saw the edge of a dark bruise poking out from under the sleeve of his school top.

She wondered if she should question him on it. Mrs Booth decided not to. The teen looked bad enough as it was.

 _The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask,_  
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask.  
Bearing the burden of a secret storm,  
Sometimes he wishes he was never born.

Alex slowly packed his belongings at the end of the day, trying to put off returning to his 'home' for as long as possible. Inevitably, he'd end up going back. He had to, or things would get worse than they already were.

As he walked out the doors of the school, it started to rain. The droplets of water battered him, as the fierce wind blew in his face. He remained stoic. Alex heard somebody coming up behind him, so he slowed down to let them pass. They walked next to him instead.

"Hey, I'm Tyler!" The other teen said. He had dark hair and blue eyes. Tyler was wearing the same uniform as him.

"Alex. What do you want?" Tyler smiled slightly, before turning to face Alex, so he was walking sideways.

"I live next door to you! Our bedroom windows face each other. Dude, you must be blind or something, if you've never seen me!" Alex laughed softly. Tyler wasn't too bad. If he could, he'd probably spend more time with the other boy.

 _Through the wind and the rain, he stands hard as a stone,_  
In a world that he can't rise above;  
But his dreams give him wings, and he flies to a place  
Where he's loved.

_Concrete angel._

Alex and Tyler were talking to each other, both leaning on their windowsills. Alex's foster father threw the door to his small room open, to see Alex's back to him. He grabbed the boy's arm, and made him turn round.

"What are you doing?!" He growled angrily. Alex remained silent, staring at the older man with wide eyes. "Answer me!" His foster father yelled, shaking him.

"I was j-just talking to--" Alex stopped short when the man hit him. He dragged Alex away from the window, and beat him. Again and again. Neither knew Tyler was still standing at his own window, tears falling from his eyes.

 _Somebody cries in the middle of the night,_  
The neighbours hear, but they turn out the light.  
A broken soul caught in the hands of fate;  
When morning comes it will be too late.

Police held back the crowd of people, as the paramedics carried out Alex's limp body. Nobody saw Tyler standing on the other side of the crime scene tape, staring after the ambulance as it carried Alex's body away.

 _Through the wind and the rain, he stands hard as a stone,_  
In a world that he can't rise above;  
But his dreams give him wings, and he flies to a place  
Where he's loved.

_Concrete angel._

There weren't many people at the funeral. Tyler was there, as was Mrs Booth. The grave itself was small. All it had written on it was Alex's name, the year of his birth, and the year of his death. Nothing else.

Tyler turned round, and walked away, disappearing in a flash of light.

 _A statue stands in a shaded place,_  
An angel figure with an upturned face.  
A name is written on a polished rock,  
A broken heart that the world forgot.

"Alex!" There was a cry. Alex turned his head, and saw Tom grinning at him. His uncle, Ian, was standing with him. As were his parents. And Tyler.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"Somewhere you'll be safe, for all eternity." Tyler replied. Alex smiled. Maybe things weren't all bad.

 _Through the wind and the rain, he stands hard as a stone,_  
In a world that he can't rise above;  
But his dreams give him wings, and he flies to a place  
Where he's loved

_Concrete angel._


End file.
